Designing the British Library extension

Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners has been appointed to design an extension to the British Library on a 2.8 acre site to the north of its St Pancras building.

The site will be developed with Stanhope, the property developers, and will be a major new centre for commerce, knowledge and research.

At the heart of the development will be 100,000 sq ft of new British Library spaces for learning, exhibitions and public use, including a new northern entrance and a bespoke headquarters for the Alan Turing Institute, the national centre for data science research.

The development will also include new commercial space for organisations and companies that wish to be located at the heart of London's Knowledge Quarter, close to the Francis Crick Institute and the other knowledge-based companies, research organisations, amenities and transport links located at King’s Cross and St Pancras.

The Stanhope consortium was appointed following a Competitive Dialogue procurement process that began in late 2015.

Senior Partner Graham Stirk, who is RSHP’s design lead on the project said: "RSHP is very proud to be involved in assisting the British Library to achieve its vision to create a more open and accessible campus that will maintain its prominence for the future."